KATHMANDU, JUN 24 -
A section of CPN-UML leaders have registered a note of dissent against the party’s decision to federate the country into seven prov-inces, stating that the model was against the mandate of the national representatives’ council and recently held national cadres’ gathering.
On Friday night, the party’s Central Committee (CC) meeting had endorsed party Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal’s proposal to carve the country into seven provinces based on multiple identities. “The model endorsed by the party is of ethnic nature and it is against the party mandate,” said UML leader Bhim Rawal, adding, “So we have registered a note of dissent.”
The CC-endorsed proposal states that the country will be federated into Kirat-Limbuwan-Koshi, Tamsaling-Newa-Bagmati, Magarat-Tamuwan-Gandaki, Bheri-Karnali, Seti-Mahakali, Tharuhat-Awadh-Lumbini, and Mithila-Bhojpura-Janakpur provinces in the new federal set-up.
The dissenting leaders said the decision was taken late Friday night to endorse the proposal tactfully but it holds no significance given the Constituent Assembly’s dissolution.
“The meeting, which was called for 11am, convened at 3 pm and the decision was taken after most leaders left the meeting hall,” added Rawal.
The leaders said the party leadership committed a mistake by proposing the model that was rejected in a four party-meeting before the CA dissolution. Besides Rawal, Khagaraj Adhikari, Raghuji Panta and Guru Baral registered their dissension in the meeting. “Many leaders are against the proposal and that they will formally register notes of dissent on Sunday,” said Rawal.
The objection comes at a time when some Janajati and Madhesi leaders have been boycotting the party’s meetings for its reluctance to accept single identity-based federalism.
Madhesi and indigenous leaders, who had expressed their dissatisfaction over the draft proposal, claimed that the states should be divided on the basis of ethnic identity. The opposition from the non-Janajati leaders has heightened debate on federalism within the party. Before endorsing the proposal in the CC meeting, UML chairman Khanal had urged the leaders to accept the proposal as it was aimed at wooing the disgruntled Janajati and Madhesi leaders.
Will form new party: Shrestha
CPN-UML leader Rajendra Shrestha on Saturday vowed to form a new party stating that the party-floated seven-province model was against the interest of the marginalised communities. Speaking at an interaction, Shrestha, who was removed from the party’s valley chief for advocating single identity-based federalism, said formation of a new party was inevitable. “The seven-province model is not acceptable to us,” added Shrestha. “So we want to form a new party.”
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